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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Infantry Rifles


4thGordons

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I am working on putting together an addition to the "I-Spy" guide that shows infantry rifles.

Seeking opinions as to what sort of pictures people find most useful? (if any)

The idea is to provide a simple identification reference for people whose primary interest is not firearms but who would like to identify weapons in pictures. Concentrating on infantry rifles.

So far I have been playing with formal shots, I intend to put smaller versions with them pointing out salient differences

Any suggestions appreciated, would other angles or details be useful? Other things

(see below)

Thanks in advance

Chris

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Yes I know this is a K[c]arbine! (and has the incorrect rear band.... I'm still looking!)

post-14525-1254720469.jpg

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Online colour is fine - but for printing -perhaps B/W?

Also wondering how best to indicate scale? reproduce pics all to the same scale or have a comparative pic?

post-14525-1254721903.jpg

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Also wondering how best to indicate scale? reproduce pics all to the same scale or have a comparative pic?

Reproducing the pics all the same size will help people to see at a glance the relative sizes. What kind of comparative pic were you thinking of? Some in the audiance may not know the overall lengths so I think that something that indicated the complete size would be helpful.

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I agree a size comparator would be useful, perhaps a metre rule beside the rifle?

Colour is always better for this sort of thing, but it does increase costs considerable. I know from my own books the difference it makes.

Are you going to self-publish Chris? I think it is a great idea.

regards

TonyE

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At whom is it aimed?

I know very little about weaponry, and am absolutely never going to own a rifle: if I were using the book, I would probably want to identify a rifle as it is being used by a Tommy or Poilu, or whomever, in a photo. Therefore, as the GW was fought in black and white, colour would be relatively unimportant to me.

Similarly, as rifles are frequently slung, or carried across the chest, or elsewhere, photos of them in such positions would be helpful, with a guide as to how i tell a Lebel from a Lee Enfied, while in use.

So for me, black and white, size comparison, and 'in use' pictures as well as the museum-style shots.

Oh, and with and without bayonets, rifle grenade dischargers, etc, fitted.

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Thanks very much all.

The intended audience is the non WWI specialist but who has a slightly deeper than passing interest. Same audience as the photo booklet. I am thinking of the sort of people who have pics of relatives in the war and post here asking for details of the uniform/weapons etc. in a family picture - perhaps as part of family research perhaps curiosity.

I would try and supplement with real period photos "in action", perhaps also silhouettes?

For comparative size I was thinking of a metre stick, perhaps also a "side by side" pic to indicate comparative size. This would demonstrate the considerable difference between the Kar 98 and Gew 98 for example which is not readily apparent in the the pictures I posted.

In terms of text - a short paragraph only, very little background concentrating most on Great War usage (dates, etc) and some very general comments about the weapon. Aim would be to point out most obvious distinguishing features.

eg "The US M1917 rifle can be distinguished from the M1903 Springfield most readily by the high protective ears around the rear, receiver-mounted sight and the distinctive foresight protector, neither of which are present on the Springfield. Externally the M1917 and the British Pattern 14 from which it was derived, are virtually identical."

My intention was not really to "publish" per se - but make available online.

Thanks again for suggestions

Chris

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FWIW, I think that is a good idea to see what rifles each army had, when and for what purpose.

Shots of it "brand new" and how worn and in action and how to identify which variety it is would be welcomed by many, I would think.

I can read here whenever someone gets a rifle at a militaria sale, the minutiae of detail that people pick up on, when to me it's a "British" or "German" rifle.

I might notice that one or two rifles in a group of soldiers might look different, but not why.

With reference to the "scale" issue, would it not be simpler to have the "frame" surround (as in the 3 different rifles above as a consistent size, and the rifle then fits inside, giving a comparison that way? If the frame were to represent an area say six feet / 2 metres by 2 feet/ half meter, then a five foot long rifle would take up 5/6ths of the length, and one 5 ft 6 inches long would take up 11/12ths of the frame....For removal of doubt, a 6ft or 2 metre ruler along the top edge would reinforce the different lengths.

Just a suggestion, don't shoot!!

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Chris,

As TonyE and you have identified a "rule" next to the weapon would be most useful and far easier than putting all of the weapons together. Rather than a standard metre rule I would suggest one of the scale grids you often see in real and fictional crime scenes, an aternate black and white grid, with mm, cm and decimetre gradients. Could I also suggest a black silhouette of a average height (say 5'7", 1.7M) standing soldier with a standing rifle/s next to him, both with and without fixed bayonet as a way of representing the rifles length. I include the fixed bayonet as it is often what stands out to the punter.

I like your work on the uniform booklet. With the picture of the AIF soldier a couple of typo's, plus the "divisional patch" is actually a "unit colour patch" which by the colour and shape combination identifies the soldiers individual unit and that units brigade and divisional lineage. The "gaiters" are also often known as the Australian Spiral Leggings, more correctly being "Stowasser (sic) Leggings, which were in fact a common Empire item, excellent thread here Stowhasser Spiral Legging. Australian uniform experts I am sure will point out more things that differ between our foot and mounted soldiers and officers uniforms.

Cheers,

Hendo

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Thanks very much all.

Every time I look through the book I find typos! I am going to do a proper, careful proof reading for the next version.

I have actually already modified the leggings etc - thanks for correction on patch.

After quite a lot of looking I have found a souce for the black and white scale grid (from a crime scene/forensics supplier no less!) and will use that as suggested.

I have access to bayonets for most of the rifles although some (esp the German ones) take several patterns so that will be a possible source of confusion (ie if I illustrate one and not others).

In terms of comparative scale I was really intending on lining them up and photographing them together but I think some of your suggestions make more sense. I will have a go at some different picstures when the measure arrives and post the results.

Thanks again

Chris

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Nice photographs. I have a P14, No1 Mk 3,3*, and several Great War Mosin Nagants. I have been dragging my feet on the others but probably will end up with an example of each. Have you considered adding the bayonet to your pictures? Thanks....chris3

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Nice photographs. I have a P14, No1 Mk 3,3*, and several Great War Mosin Nagants. I have been dragging my feet on the others but probably will end up with an example of each. Have you considered adding the bayonet to your pictures? Thanks....chris3

Hi yes, see comment in previous post (above). I have bayonets for them but

1) the added length makes them harder to photograph and

2) for several types there are multiple bayonets that could be used and displaying one potentially confuses (although this could be addressed with commentary regarding the others)

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